Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Big belly... tiny mind?
Beer tummy & muffin top warning
Health Correspondent
MEN with beer bellies and women with “muffin top” waists also have smaller brains, a study suggests.
Carrying extra body fat, especially around the waist, may be linked to brain shrinkage.
Researchers calculated obesity by measuring the body mass index and waist-to-hip ratio of 9,652 participants.
The findings show those with higher ratios of both measures had the lowest brain volume.
Professor Mark Hamer, of Loughborough University, said: “Existing research has linked brain shrinkage to memory decline and a higher risk of dementia.
“But research on whether extra body fat is protective or detrimental to brain size has been inconclusive. We found obesity, specifically around the middle, may be linked with brain shrinkage.” The study looked at people with an average age of 55, of which 19% were obese. Researchers used MRI scans to determine brain volumes. They found those with high BMI and waist-to-hip ratios had lower gray matter brain volumes. Prof Hamer said: “This will need further research, but someday measuring BMI and waist-to-hip ratio may help determine brain health.”
A £235 breathalyser-style gadget claims to help weight loss by analysing metabolism.
The Lumen measures carbon dioxide levels in breath, and then suggests diet and exercise changes.